Welcomed Exposure: Season's early surprises, Bills and Browns set for prime-time TV matchup

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer runs off the field after a 17-6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
(The Associated Press)

Cleveland Browns running back Chris Ogbonnaya (25) leaps into the Dawg Pound after a 1-yard touchdown catch against the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
(The Associated Press)

Buffalo Bills middle linebacker Kiko Alonso (50) celebrates his interception against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Buffalo won 23-20. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
(The Associated Press)

When the NFL announced its TV schedule, the Bills-Browns matchup on a Thursday night in October didn't figure to shatter any ratings records.

It still won't, but it's much more watchable than it figured to be.

The Bills and Browns are two of the league's early surprises at 2-2 under first-year coaches. Buffalo and Cleveland have been sparked by opportunistic defenses, and one team will emerge from a short week and with momentum before the leaves drop and the weather along Lake Erie turns harsh and unforgiving.

The chance to play in the national spotlight has Browns nose tackle Phil Taylor revved up.

"Oh, yeah, the whole world is watching," he said. "Every little thing you do, you know everyone is going to see it."

Two weeks ago, the Browns seemed ready to slide into a hole and disappear. After dropping to 0-2, they traded star running back Trent Richardson to Indianapolis, a stunning move that had some Cleveland fans ready to storm the team's training facility with pitchforks and torches. But just when things seemed bleakest, quarterback Brian Hoyer, a lifelong Browns fan himself, rode to the rescue.

Displaying poise and leadership he learned as Tom Brady's understudy in New England, Hoyer has been a revelation for the Browns, and now must deliver again. He kept the starting job this week despite Brandon Weeden being cleared to play after spraining his right thumb.

"As a competitor, you want to be the guy out there on the field, so I'm obviously excited about that," Hoyer said.

For the Bills to keep making progress, they'll need more consistency from rookie quarterback EJ Manuel. He passed for just 167 yards last week against Baltimore, but Buffalo's defense intercepted Joe Flacco five times to win.

While all 32 NFL teams play on a Thursday — not so for Sunday or Monday nights — this is a chance for the Bills and Browns to prove worthy of future exposure.

"If you're on Sunday or Monday nights it means you are bringing in the Ws," Taylor said. "We've got to keep winning."

Five more reasons for tuning in to see the Browns host the Bills:

RUNNING ON EMPTY: Buffalo's robust rushing attack may not be so healthy this week.

Running backs C.J. Spiller (left ankle) and Fred Jackson (sprained left knee) both got hurt last Sunday against the Ravens. They were limited in practice this week and Jackson plans to play in a brace. The Bills are averaging 152 yards per game — second in the league — and they'll be facing a stingy defense limiting teams to just 79 yards and 2.9 per carry, a league low.

"They're very strong," Bills coach Doug Marrone said. "They do a very good job of holding the edges."

In just three games, the No. 6 overall draft pick has three sacks, knocked down a couple passes and would have blocked a punt if he wasn't held. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder seems to be playing in a different gear as he has blown past offensive linemen with ease.

Mingo is the first player with a sack in his first three games since 2004.

ROOKIE THIEF: The Bills have a special rookie linebacker, too. Kiko Alonso is a ball magnet.

Alonso had two interceptions last week, including the clincher with 57 seconds remaining to secure Buffalo's stunner over Baltimore. Through four games, Alonso has four picks and leads the team with 32 tackles, 19 solo. Alonso is the first rookie linebacker to have an interception in three straight games since 1980, and just the fourth linebacker to have four interceptions in September.

HAPPY RETURNS: Browns CB Joe Haden hasn't returned an interception for a touchdown in his career — pro or college — and he wouldn't mind getting his first on national TV.

"Before the games," he said, "I'm always thinking, 'If I run this way, I'm jumping in this way. Or if I run this way, I'm jumping over here.' It's seven years in the making. The dance has changed with the new music coming out, so I've been waiting on it."

BROWN'S TOWN: At halftime, Cleveland will honor legendary running back Jim Brown, the greatest Brown of them all.

Brown reunited with the only team he played for earlier this year by accepting a role as an adviser. There had been a bitter separation that caused him to skip a Ring of Honor ceremony in 2010, but No. 32 is back and will be saluted for his on-field accomplishments and contributions to the Cleveland community.